Our Mission

A Kalamazoo-based citizen diplomacy organization, Global Ties Kalamazoo (formerly Colleagues International) enriches local community with global diversity, one relationship at a time.

Vision: Making Kalamazoo a more globally engaged community, in all of its diversity, drawing strength from international exchange, while enriching the professional, cultural and personal lives of local residents and visitors from around the world.

Our strategic goals:

• Grow our programming for Kalamazooans through the prism that Exchange is for Everybody

• Do the work to be an anti-racist organization - infusing this in all aspects of who we are

• Center Joy and Inclusivity in Growing the Global Ties Kalamazoo Network

• Increase capacity to present promising practices in organizational leadership

• Effectively communicate our Brand and Vision

Purpose: The purpose of Global Ties Kalamazoo (formerly Colleagues International) is to enhance cultural competence and to promote intercultural and professional exchange between Kalamazoo, West Michigan and the world, by

• bringing emerging international leaders from abroad to engage with their peers and all community members;

• enriching local people, organizations, government and businesses through intercultural exchange and fostering intercommunity collaboration;

• providing international guests with opportunities to share their cultures with Americans and to learn about the diverse cultural landscape of the United States;

• creating international opportunities for the people of West Michigan;

• increasing the civic engagement of local residents through citizen diplomacy; and

• contributing to the global engagement of the Kalamazoo community in all of its diversity.